Door latch



Oct. 20, 1936. H. w. RIGHTMYER DOOR LATCH Filed Nov. 5, 1954 Patented Oct. 20, 1936 noon LATCH 7 Holden W. Rightmyeig: Toledo, olnoya'ssignor to r The American Swiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, a-

corporation of Ohio Application November 5, 1934, Serial No. 751,459

2 Claims.

This invention relates to door latches, but more particularly for latches for the compartment doors of vehicles, such as automobiles, and an object is to produce a simple and inexpensive 5 latch of this character having the novel features of construction, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

An embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the door latch showing the handle shaft and lock shaft in section and with some parts broken away; Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the cover plate removed and showing the parts in locked position, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 3; and

Figure 3 is a side edge view of the latch mechanism.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a door latch having a case plate I provided with an outwardly extending flange II at-one end, and formed in this flange is an opening through which the latch bolt nose I2 projects. The bolt nose I2 is secured by rivets I3 to a bolt plate I4, which is provided with a pair of opposed downwardly extending shoulders I5 spaced rearwardly from the front end of the bolt plate. For urging the bolt to' latching position, an helical spring I! is provided. The front end of the spring abuts against a lip or tongue I8 extending upwardly from the bolt plate and the rear end of the spring abuts against a lip I9, which extends downwardly from a cover plate 20. The cover plate 20 is spaced outwardly from the case plate I0, and is provided with down-turned side portions 2| terminating in ears 22, which extend through openings in the case plate and are turned over against the underside thereof to hold the plate in position.

Disposed between the cover plate 2|) and the bolt plate I4 is a lock plate 23, the edges of which are substantially flush with the edges of the cover plate. The lock plate 23 is arranged to slide between the bolt plate and cover plate, and is provided with an elongate slot 24 through which the spring abutment lips I8 and I9 extend, thereby enabling movement of the lip I8 upon retraction of the bolt nose I2. Arranged on opposite sides of the bolt plate I4 and extending through elongate slots 25 in the lock plate 23 are studs 26, which assist in guiding movement of the lock plate 23 and also cooperate in holding the cover plate in place. It will be noted that opposite side portions of the lock plate are in abutting relation to the depending sides 2| of the cover plate.

Formed in the rear end of the locking slide or plate 23 is a laterally elongate slot 21 in which is disposed an eccentric disc 28 actuated by a key operated shaft or spindle 29, the eccentric disc or cam 28 having bearing in the cover plate 20. It is apparent that upon turning the spindle 29 in one direction or the other the locking slide 23 is moved forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the nose I2.

For retracting the latch bolt a roll back 38 having opposed arms 3| is disposed beneath the bolt plate I4 and has bearing in the back plate Ill. The arms 3| engage respectively with the shoulders I5 so that the latch bolt may be retracted upon turning of the roll back in either direction. For actuating the roll back a handle shaft 32 of square cross-section extends through a longitudinally elongate slot 33 in the bolt plate. On the outer end of the shaft 32 is provided the usual operating handle (not shown).

In order to prevent unauthorized retraction of the latch bolt the front end of the locking slide 23 is provided with a rectangular slot 34, the front ends of which are beveled as indicated at 35. It will be seen that upon actuation of the eccentric disc 28 moving the plate 23 forwardly the slot 34 fits over the square handle shaft 32, thereby preventing turning of the shaft. This does not interfere with retraction of the latch 'bolt as by slamming of the door, so that the handle shaft 32 may be locked against movement While the door is open, and slamming of the door will not disturb the locked condition. In order to release the handle shaft 32 the eccentric disc 28 is turned in the opposite direction to impart retrograde movement to the sliding plate 23. 1

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle door latch comprising a unitary structure having a case plate, a spring tensioned latch bolt including a plate movable over said case plate and provided with a longitudinally elongate aperture, oppositely disposed shoulders on said bolt plate, a roll back having oppositely disposed arms engageable respectively with said shoulders and provided with a spindle-receiving opening registering with said aperture, a handle spindle of non-circular cross section fitting said opening, a locking slide on said bolt having one end notched t0 fit said handle spindle to prevent turning thereof, means at the opposite end of said slide for actuating same to and from locking position, and a cover plate fitting over said slide and bolt plate and secured to said case plate.

2. A vehicle door latch comprising a unitary structure having a case plate, a spring tensioned latch bolt including a plate movable over said case plate and provided with a longitudinally elongate aperture, oppositely disposed shoulders on said bolt plate, a roll back having oppositely disposed arms engageable respectively with said shoulders and provided with a spindle-receiving,

opening registering with said aperture, a handle spindle of non-circular cross section fitting said opening, a locking slide on said bolt having one end notched to fit said handle spindle to prevent turning thereof, a portion of said locking slide extending beyond the rear end of said case plate and having a laterally elongated aperture, a cover plate fitting over said slide and bolt plate and secured to said case plate and having a portion extending beyond said case plate over said looking slide, and means carried by the extending portion of said cover plate and including a cam disposed in said laterally elongate aperture for actuating said locking slide to and from locking position.

HOLDEN W. RIGHTMYER. 

